The current change in global living conditions by new ways of communication and transport - often called globalisation - is enabled by certain developments within the media. The view of this development is represented by mass media in a way that leads to a phenomenon Jean Baudrillard calls "Hyper reality", where the perception of mass media products starts to replace the independent view on the common reality.

red hall of the red house sofia, bulgaria

Baudrillard suggests that the "production of alternative media" is a way back to a clear and more independent perception of reality.
The production of media products that do not fit within the common standard formats of mass media is what the work of media artists is about. The media works of "Work In Motion - about migration, mobility and labour" are (re)-producing a clear view on social lives within the European and North American nations in times of rapid "globalisation".

The media art exhibition “WORK IN MOTION - migration, mobility and labour” intends to pool various artistic approaches in a pulsating art show.

2. Structure of the Project

Our proposed cultural project has two parts.:

The first part of this project is a show of media art installations of Western and Bulgarian artists. Peter d'Agostino is a media artist in the first hour who frequently works in Europe and is currently preparing a new version of "WorldWideWalks" based on the footage he captured in Sofia in June 2008. Harun Farocki is presenting his video "In-Formation". Stanimir Genov and Vikenti Komitski will develop two installations on commission for the show. The IAM-Network is preparing a version of its project "Gating - the migration of industry” that is dedicated to Sofia.

The second part of the cultural event is collaborations between Bulgarian and Western artists. They will produce new artworks together that are inspired by the show and will be exhibited in a later version of the show.

foyer of the red house, sofia, bulgaria

3. The Venue

The proposed venue for the first version of this European exhibition project is the Red House in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Red House has a tradition of combining art with political reflection. It is an internationally recognised cultural centre in one of the most vibrant culture capitals of Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe plays a key role within the process of globalisation. It
is also an area of production for the Western nations as a region that outsources work to Eastern nations - it is part of both sides of the current global development and part of the uprising cultural, political and financial centre of the Western nations: the European Union.

4. Benefits for the Bulgarian Public

"Work in Motion…" combines various artistic approaches to the topic of the project in a vibrant, thought-provoking exhibition that is firmly connected to Sofia and Bulgaria in general by including contributions and reactions of Bulgarian artists and shows, as well as several West European works that deal with Sofia, such as the work of Peter d'Agostino, “WorldWideWalks Sofia”, and the "Gating - the Migration of the Industries" work of the German/British group IAM Network that shows the history of the Kremikovtzi steel works.

5. Benefits for the Participating Artists

The Red House in Sofia are inviting a group of Bulgarian and Western artists to show their works within the context of the exhibition and to produce new works together. The workshops and the exhibition will try to make interconnections between the East and the West European cultural lives on several levels and promote the artist on an international stage.

6. Benefits for the European Spirit

One of the goals of this cultural project is to enhance the cultural and political exchange between different parts of Europe and the USA. It searches for consensus and confrontation within the area of the EU and North America about the hopes, expectations, worries and political impacts of a rapidly developing world. This development is enabled by the same media that the participating artists are employing in their works.